


The First To Know

by VulpusTumultum



Series: DA one-shots & randoms [3]
Category: Dragon Age: Inquisition
Genre: F/M, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-03-08
Updated: 2015-03-08
Packaged: 2018-03-16 22:17:08
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,296
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3504767
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/VulpusTumultum/pseuds/VulpusTumultum
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Thanks to a hurried morning, Dorian is the first to find out that Cullen and the Inquisitor are finally doing more than playing chess. </p><p>Being a true friend of Sayvri Lavellan, he's only <i>mildly</i> obnoxious about it.</p>
            </blockquote>





	The First To Know

**Author's Note:**

> I can't remember or find the Tumblr Posts that first got this in my head- it was just sort of a prompt thing that I wasn't going to do anything about personally, just thought was a cute mental picture, but wellp, here we are.

Cullen had left her to sleep- Maker knew she deserved the rest, after she had been away from Skyhold for so long- and after the night, which had certainly been enough to make him sleep soundly, for the first time in.. quite a while. Though he still woke early, the habit of routine overriding even the contentedness that came from a bed far warmer than it usually was in the drafty tower, Sayvri curled up against him and radiating heat, her breath on his neck rather than just the cold breezes that seeped through cracks still in the masonry.

She had somewhat awakened when he'd reluctantly left her arms, but when he'd told her to just sleep on, she'd smiled a little, muttered something, and drifted back off, hugging his pillow against her instead. It was enough to make a man jealous of the thing- the pillow didn't have to get ready for morning inspections and meetings.

The realization of 'tidying up' more than himself being necessary hit as he dropped the last few feet of the ladder. His office was barely lit by pre-dawn light coming through the windows, but since his desk was near the windows- oh Maker- the mess that was there. And thanks to his declarations that his desk and books were off limits to the tidying and organization attempts of servants, if he didn't clean it up before leaving, it likely would remain a mess all day.

And as he looked at the empty desk, and the zone of destruction immediately around it, he felt himself blushing over the idea of anyone finding it in such a state. All papers and books, even a now broken bottle had been unceremoniously shoved off of it- and even if that wasn't enough to tell the story, there was the discarded clothing and weaponry.

Quickly he picked things up, his own armor of course he would don soon- the rest, he hurriedly put back on the desk or got up to his bedroom as best he could- cursing that it was a ladder and not stairs, although last night, well, while still bloody hindering awkward, the fact that the Inquisitor had been the first to ascend had given him an inspiring enough view that sleep hadn't come until much later, despite everything they'd already done. 

He didn't bother lighting candles or lanterns in the study- it would be truly light soon enough, and surely he'd gotten everything tidied enough for a casual glance, so with a final, rather regretful look up towards the entrance to the bedroom, Knight-Commander Cullen pulled himself together to see to his duties- the Inquisitor.. his Inquisitor.. (and he felt breathless thinking about her that way) should certainly be allowed to sleep longer. The official War Council meeting wasn't until after noon.

Knowing she was safe in his bed made it both easier, and harder, to not be distracted by thoughts of her- he did wonder, as some scouts and officers entered his office for a smaller strategy meeting, when she might have woken and left, or if she was even still there. He fumbled some of the reports, and put it from his mind.

"This is a discussion of common Tevinter tactics that the Venatori are likely to use- and in particular, what to watch for from their mages. Since the Chargers are currently away on assignment, we will be having Dorian Pavus as our expert." As soon as he decides to make his fashionably late arrival, was, of course, not something Cullen added to the statement out loud- and fortunately it wasn't long before the mage made his entrance, complaining about having to get up so early. Which didn't help endear the man to soldiers who'd already been awake for three hours and had even had sparring practice.

It helped a little by now that Cullen knew Dorian was a serious ally underneath his version of the Game, and knew that Sayvri thought of him as an actual friend- their Inquisitor was very much into seeing that even just-allies were treated fairly, but after returning from Redcliffe and a possible trap for Dorian, she'd been too angry for days to get through a game of chess properly, and while not giving details, had dropped unsubtle hints that if she thought Dorian would have really allowed it, she might have tried setting the elder Pavus on fire, or at the least would have asked Bull to maybe help throw the man bodily into the sea so he could swim home. 

It still didn't make it easier to act as a sort of translator and babysitter between the Tevinter nobleman and the mix of commoners from Ferelden and other parts of Thedas that made up the scouting squad leaders. Scout Harding was the most at ease around him, possibly because she was used to seeing him with the Inquisitor out in the field. Maybe she'd actually seen the man be serious, and actually useful once or twice. Eventually, though, things settled into boring (from Dorian's viewpoint, obviously) roster decisions, and the mage, with nothing much else to do, had wandered to look at Cullen's bookshelves. When he made a sort of amused snort, everyone else ignored him, the Commander only able to guess that maybe the man disapproved at how he didn't keep things in a proper order, or only had boring histories and volumes on geography and tactics.

The other men and women trooped out, finally, and Cullen turned, to find Dorian leaning back casually against one of the shelves and watching him with a look of extreme amusement. He did have a book in his hand- a history and geography of Ferelden, but while he was idly riffling through the pages, it barely really got a glance. To be honest, the knight was surprised that Dorian hadn't just left before everyone else or with everyone else.

"Something to add, Dorian?" 

"Oh, no, no, I'm just glad to see that despite all prior evidence, you have interests outside of chess and work after all...but you really should talk to the servants about keeping your shelves tidier and more properly filled."

"I prefer they not change how I have things organized," Cullen eyed him, "Did you wish to borrow that book?"

"Hardly, but I decided it was better that they think I was merely entertained by what I was reading rather than have them think I might have less than the utmost respect for them and their Commander."

Dorian straightened, with a flash of a friendly smile, and handed the book back to Cullen, and didn't start laughing until he had closed the door behind him.

Cullen snorted, and moved to put the volume back in its spot. It was after he had replaced it that he realized that there was something other than books on the shelf. A bit of fabric, draped and crumpled over some fallen books. Not really noticeable unless one was, say, looking the shelf over, and it would have been hidden entirely by Dorian when the mage had leaned so casually against the shelf. It wasn't MUCH fabric, after all, just a pair of smallclothes- that Cullen vaguely remembered having tossed aside without caring where they might land and in what state. 

The memory of actually taking them off the Inquisitor, as he had her pinned to the desk was the far more clear memory involved. Suddenly, distractingly, insistently, clear, and the former Templar knew he was blushing hotly, even though no one was there to see.

At least the mage had left rather than stay and cause more embarrassment, though Cullen was sure he hadn't heard the last of this.

_And (thank the Maker) at least it hadn't been Sera who found it._


End file.
